William F. Mangels (1 February 1866[1]–11 February 1958) was an amusement manufacturer and inventor. He worked at Coney Island and was a major player in the development of American amusement parks at the start of the 20th century. In addition to manufacturing carousels and inventing rides, including The Whip, he wrote a book titled The Outdoor Amusement Industry: From Earliest Times to the Present (ISBN 0848820029). Mangels is interred at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Early life and career
editMangels was born on February 1, 1866, in Germany.[2] In 1883, he moved to New York and began working as a bicycle repairman. He was called to work on a carousel and found an interest in the mechanics. He later started the W.F. Mangels Company, which would become one of the biggest amusement park ride manufacturers.
Mangels would enter a business relationship with M. C. Illions, the wood carver for many of his carousels. His 1901 patent that focuses on the cranks used to make carousel horses go up and down is still used today.[3][4][5]
Death
editMangels died on February 11, 1958, at the age of 92 at his home in Brooklyn.[6]
References
edit- ^ "February 1: William F. Mangels". www.green-wood.com. February 1, 2013.
- ^ Murphy, Doyle (September 6, 2014). "Amusement park pioneer's work on display at Green-Wood Cemetery". New York Daily News.
- ^ "William F. Mangels". Coney Island History Project. May 22, 2015.
- ^ Simone, Alina (July 15, 2016). "It Took a 'Cranky', Dour Immigrant to Make Coney Island the Capital of Fun". PRI. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ Shope, Leslie (August 31, 2009). "W.F. Mangels and His "Amusing" Career". Brooklyn Public Library. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014.
- ^ "W. F. Mangels, 92, Invented 'Rides'; Designer of the Whip and Many Other Amusement Park Devices Is Dead". The New York Times. February 13, 1958.
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